2018 Audi RS5 Offers Winning Blend Of Power And Sophistication

John McCormick
, ContributorI’m intrigued by cars, those who make them and those who drive them.Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.

There are fast cars, cars that can be smooth as well as fast, cars that are as stylish as they are fast and sophisticated fast cars. But rarely do you find a car that combines all these qualities.

Audi

2018 Audi RS5

With the 2018 RS5 coupe, however, Audi has nailed it, bringing all these characteristics together in one beguiling package.

Firstly, let’s address the RS concept. It’s part of the re-christened Audi Sport division, which exists to focus attention on high performance Audis, both road-going and racing. RS goes beyond the S model Audis, such as the new S4 and S5 variants, which already do a fine job of adding a layer of performance and design refinements to standard models.

As such the RS models target the buyer who wants the ultimate level of performance and design enhancements available from Audi. In the case of the RS5, the variant is founded on the recently introduced A5 coupe. This four-seat, two-door model had already established itself in its previous generation as one of the best looking and most compelling coupe designs on the market.

The completely redesigned new version builds on that legacy with a somewhat more aggressive persona, expressed in the more muscular overall body design, wider wheel arches and sharper looking front end styling features.

Simply put, the 2018 RS5 is less shy in communicating its sporting intentions. Shod with the cool, optional five-spoke, forged aluminum 20-inch wheels and dressed in a striking newly available green paint finish, this Audi coupe looks stunning. It’s wide but lean, svelte with subtle touch of menace.

Audi

2018 Audi RS5

In typical Audi fashion, the interior is understated. The all-black cabin comes with welcome albeit modest trim changes such as diamond quilted seats with contrast stitching and a flat-bottomed steering wheel, but this is one area where I think Audi could go further, especially for an American audience.

Audi

2018 Audi RS5

What’s not in doubt is the effectiveness of the powertrain. Adding a second turbo to the 2.9-liter V-6 already used in the S5 takes performance to another level. With 450-hp on tap and a flat torque curve maxing out at 442 lb ft (much more than the previous model’s V-8), the RS5 motor lacks for nothing, even on the high altitude Pyrenean mountain roads of our test drive route. Floor the throttle out of a tight turn and engine response is immediate; forget about the dreaded turbo lag problem of old. With a slick shifting, adaptive eight-speed automatic transmission, the driver’s workload is minimal, although it’s fun to play with paddle shifters entering a corner.

The raw performance numbers – 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds, 174 mph top speed (with the dynamic plus package option) – are impressive enough, but it’s the sheer muscular range of the powertrain that makes the biggest impression. Turbocharging can over-muffle the exhaust sound in some performance cars, and the RS5 is pretty subdued aurally, although in dynamic mode, the car does deliver a pleasingly meaty, low-pitched engine note.

Audi engineers have refined the center differential to allow almost 100 percent of torque to be directed to either rear wheel as needed. Even with the quattro all-wheel drive system, you can overpower the front tires going into a hairpin turn and develop some front end push, but that’s a clumsy technique.

As for the electric power steering system, I have little argument with its precision; you can point the car accurately in a corner and it tracks smoothly. As with virtually all EPS units, however, more feedback would be welcome and even in dynamic mode, I would choose to add a shade more effort at the wheel.

Compared to the drive mode select system in more prosaic Audis, where the difference between comfort and dynamic setting is modest, the RS5 offers a more dramatic contrast. If you select dynamic mode in the RS5, the ride quality is not exactly harsh, but it does bounce over road bumps like a race car. If you really want to press on hard over a mostly smooth road, then select dynamic and the chassis will reward you with taut, flat cornering behavior. But otherwise it’s best to choose auto or comfort setting (or dial up your own combination of settings in individual mode), especially on longer trips or highway driving.

As mentioned there are several optional dynamic packages, which come with some choice goodies for the enthusiast, including ceramic front brakes, driver aid features and the sport differential, but checking all the boxes will drive up the price significantly from a starting point expected to be in $70,000 range.

The best part of the RS5 coupe formula is that the car does not lock the buyer into one mode of driving like some hard-core luxury brand offerings. Sure, you can travel very fast in this Audi, but you can also make your journey a comfortable and refined experience. Plus, this car is a visual treat that reveals new elements every time you look at it.

Lighter and more fuel-efficient than its predecessor, the RS5 feels right for the times. And it comes with a hard to beat blend of power and class that gives it a distinct appeal.